Ipsus Speculo
by Empress of Everything
Summary: While on a mission, Gray, Natsu, Erza, Yukino, Sting, and Rogue meet a spirit living in a series of mirrors. Her name is Ipsus Speculo. Ipsus isn't all she seems, however. In fact, she isn't really Ipsus at all… {GraLu week, day one: Prompt-myth/legend}


**GrayLu week, day one: myth/legend**

Is anyone else as annoyed as all get out because of Fanfiction's stupidity in the last 24 hours? Not just me? Okay, good. Well, this means y'all get two updates instead of just one. :)

IT'S GRAYLU WEEK, Y'ALL! I'm so excited for this, it's insane. So here's my first story, it will be a multi-chapter so don't lose your minds at the way it ends!

Translation: Ipsus Speculo means _that mirror_ in Latin. Don't ask me why I chose it, I just thought it sounded good. And it was the only thing that sounded cool in Latin and had something to do with mirrors.

There isn't a legend that I know about that is like this, so I just made one up. Enjoy!

* * *

"Because _this_ isn't creepy at all."

"Gray, I've already told you to shut up."

"Whatever, ya pyro."

"What did you call me, droopy eyes?"

"You heard me, charcoal breath!"

"Take it back, icy pants!"

"Make me, flaming butt!"

"Boys! That's enough!"

"Aye, sir!"

Rogue slowly shook his head as he watched the antics of Team Natsu. He knew now why they were the most destructive team in the most destructive guild in all Fiore. Why Sting had wanted to help them on this mission, he really had no idea. The request was a simple one: check out a so-called "haunted house" a few miles away from Magnolia and report back to the guilds.

But was it really so simple? The requester hadn't been very specific and seemed rather shifty. He wore glasses and had a rather strange hairstyle, but hadn't given them any reason to mistrust him. He had told them quietly about the legend of the old Heart house. It had been abandoned a few years back but now people in the village were saying it was haunted.

Haunted by who, he didn't know. That was why they were there.

So it was just a simple request mission.

Unfortunately, Team Natsu was making it _way_ harder than it needed to be.

Rogue absently wondered if they would all make it out of the trip alive.

He rather doubted it.

* * *

Gray had a bad feeling about this job.

Okay, scratch that. It wasn't so much a bad feeling as it was a feeling of unsettlement. There was something missing from their team. Like a giant hole had opened up in the group and they didn't even know about it. He had no idea where the feeling came from, but he didn't like it.

His bantering with Natsu was just rote. There should have been someone telling them to stop. Someone who wasn't Erza, but a softer, prettier person. A girl with deep chocolate eyes, a bright smile, and sun-kissed hair. She was precious, like a flower… A sudden stabbing pain in his head killed that thought before it could take off.

He punched Natsu to try and take his mind off the pain.

It didn't work and now Erza was screaming at them while Sting, Rogue, and Yukino, plus the Exceeds, looked on in mildly nauseated horror mingled with amusement.

He didn't care.

He had stopped caring when she had gone flying across the battlefield and vanished…

Where were these thoughts coming from? They needed to stop. The intense pain they were causing would be detrimental in a battle. Gray gave his head a vigorous shake. He needed to focus.

"Well, how are we going to do this?" Yukino fiddled with a lock of her short white hair. "Should we split up in teams of two and search for the cause of the haunting?" She squeaked when Erza patted her back firmly with an armored hand.

"That is an excellent idea. You and I shall search the bottom floor together. While Natsu and Sting with their Exceeds take the second floor, and Gray and Rogue shall be the last team and they can have the attic or basement, depending on which the house has." Erza's glare was enough to silence any beginnings of an argument. She nodded, satisfied that they would listen. "We will meet back here in an hour and report."

* * *

When they got inside, the teams split up. Gray grabbed Rogue's arm before he could head up the stairs. Rogue yanked his arm away, glaring at the other raven haired man. "What do you want?"

"Look, why don't you take the basement and I'll take the attic? Dark spaces kind of freak me out and, well…" Gray trailed off, gesturing to the door to the basement. Rogue raised a single eyebrow.

"And I'm the Shadow Dragon Slayer, so you think I would do better in the dark?" Gray nodded, relieved that Rogue understood. The other man shrugged. "I don't see any problem with splitting up so long as we complete the mission." Rogue turned to pad away on silent feet, his Exceed partner following.

Gray sighed before turning and heading up the stairs to the attic. He really needed to get over his dislike of dark places. As he passed the full-length mirror that stood next to the stairs, there was a flash of white and gold, making him pause. What was that? Gray stared at the mirror, narrowing his eyes. Not seeing anything, he shook his head forcefully, blinking. His lack of sleep in the past few weeks must be catching up to him.

There was nothing remarkable about the house. It was just an old mansion that someone seemed to have forgotten about and abandoned. Dust filled the air, making him sneeze. Gray decided that the stairwell he had taken must have been a servants' staircase.

Well, that would have been the case if there hadn't been so many _mirrors_ …

Seriously, what was with all the mirrors?

He stood silently in the dusty attic. The relics of a former lifetime decorated the room. Boxes were stacked all around, pictures were propped casually against the walls, and again with the mirrors! They were everywh-…

What was that?

Why did he keep seeing flashes of gold and white?

Was he going crazy?

Or…was it the mirrors?

Gray walked over to one, holding his shirt he hadn't even noticed he had shed. Crouching near it, he swiped his shirt through the dust, cleaning it off.

His reflection stared back at him. He looked ghastly. Dark circles had appeared under his eyes. His skin was pale, well, paler than usual. To be honest, he looked sick. Sick, tired, and old.

She wouldn't have wanted him to look like this…

With a cry, Gray clutched at his head and fell back, dropping his shirt. Through the haze of pain, he saw her.

There in the mirror stood a beautiful blonde woman wearing a white dress.

Gray stared at the reflection of the blonde in the dusty mirror as he stood shakily. She looked back at him with as much intensity in her deep brown eyes. She placed her hand on her side of the mirror, as if trying to touch him. Her face was _so_ familiar, he was sure, Gray just couldn't place it. He reached a shaking hand and placed it on the glass over hers.

He could have sworn her hand was warm on the glass.

"Hello," she whispered. "I'm Ipsus."

* * *

A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Oooooo… Any guesses who Ipsus really is, y'all?

This is going to be a multi-chapter story. I'm not sure how long it's going to be or when it will be updated, but here you go!

Tomorrow, **Day 2: Tattoo**!


End file.
